51 Weeks [in which things progress]

When Spring Break rolled around, I started telling more people about our relationship; I knew that the beans would spill as soon as I got back to Lancaster, so I wanted to make sure that certain people heard it from me! Again, everyone shared my excitement. I'd been known as a stubborn non-dater throughout college,* so my friends knew that if I had a boyfriend, it was serious.

You know, that was really fun. Having a boyfriend, I mean. It's one of those things I only ever did once . . . and while having a husband tops dating in every possible respect, that first stage was still wonderful. I'm glad I was able to savor it. The whole process, not only the end goal, was a joy.

End rabbit trail. Like I said, everybody was delighted. (I specifically remember Andrew Odell getting this huge grin on his face and saying "That's AMAZING!") Gretchen came home with me for Spring Break, which I very much appreciated, because with her lovely company, I didn't have a lonely plane ride to make me nervous. Honestly, I felt like I was about to meet my boyfriend for the first time. Weird.

Despite this weirdness, I never contracted the case of first-date-nerves I had so dreaded. When Jared knocked on the door the next evening, spiffed up and a white rose in hand, I could do nothing but smile. Off we went. And whether driving in the car, browsing through a bookstore while waiting for a table (Saturday night is pretty busy at the Olive Garden), or eating our tortellini and gnocchi, conversation flowed. There were no awkward pauses, and I don't think either of us were afraid. We had already said so much in our letters-- revealed good and bad about ourselves-- that this part was easy.

When I came home that night, Gretchen took one look at me, laughed, and said, "Shall I buy tickets for your wedding?" Hmm . . . I must have been glowing. Funny how that happens.

The rest of the week, Jared and I saw each other almost every day. Sometimes he came to my parents' house, sometimes we went out by ourselves; once or twice Gretchen was our obliging third wheel. It was all wonderful. I had no illusions of love just yet, but I did know that I really liked this boy, and was thrilled to be with him. To me, spending time with Jared over Spring Break had been a way to gauge the quality of our relationship. All indications were positive.

When Gretchen and I flew back to Hillsdale to finish the semester, I found myself missing Jared almost immediately. Mind you, I knew this wasn't love. Lawsy no. That was still to come. However, I now missed Jared as much as I would any close friend and couldn't wait to call him.** That was certainly an advance in my feelings. :)

The semester rushed on. I completed that thesis. I got sick again. I finished class. I took my finals. I graduated!

Then I came home. The summer began.

*At some point in high school, I (along with my parents) had decided that there was no point in dating A) someone whom I couldn't see myself marrying or B) at a time when marriage was not an option. That took care of most of the guys I knew-- like I said, I had awesome friends but didn't want to marry them-- and covered most of college, because I had no interest in being married before graduation. And that was that.
**We started abandoning snail mail in favor of phone calls after Spring Break.

{images: First, just before I flew back to Hillsdale on Spring Break. Gee golly, I had long hair! Second, my graduation. Jared came out to Michigan with mi familia. Crazy kid.}